The "Big" news so far on Wednesday in the Louisiana Lt. Governor's race comes from the Jay Dardenne and the Billy Nungesser campaigns. Dardenne has focused upon the endorsements he has received for Saturday's election. Nungesser has directed his attention to the claim that Dardenne raised taxes.

Here are relevant sections from both emails:

Mayors hailing from every corner of Louisiana endorsed Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne today in his bid for re-election for the state’s second highest position.

This bipartisan group represents Louisiana’s diverse cultural, political and racial background. Their endorsement of Jay Dardenne is a reflection of the work he has done in their individual communities and their confidence in his leadership of the tourism industry of Louisiana.

The following 23 mayors are publicly supporting Dardenne:

Mayor Barney Arceneaux, Gonzales.

Mayor Clarence Beebe, Hornbeck.

Mayor Mike Cooper, Covington.

Mayor Billy D’Aquila, St. Francisville.

Mayor Jimmy Durbin, Denham Springs.

Mayor Clarence Fields, Pineville.

Mayor Mayson Foster, Hammond.

Mayor Cedric Glover, Shreveport.

Mayor Lawrence Henagan, DeQuincy.

Mayor Jackie Johnson, Winnsboro.

Mayor Burke Jones, Greensburg.

Mayor Jamie Mayo, Monroe.

Mayor Wayne McCullen, Natchitoches.

Mayor Glen McGlothin, Ferriday.

Mayor Robert Myer, New Roads.

Mayor Tommy O’Con, Robeline.

Mayor Betty Olive, Bastrop.

Mayor Ron Roberts, DeRidder.

Mayor Bill Robertson, Minden.

Mayor Robert Rose, Leesville.

Mayor Jacques Roy, Alexandria.

Mayor Mac Watts, Central.

Mayor Robert Zabbia, Ponchatoula.

Dardenne has received support from all seven publications that have issued endorsements for the 2011 election cycle, including: The Shreveport Times, The Monroe News-Star, The Times-Picayune, The Gambit, The Baton Rouge Business Report, The Daily Comet and The Houma Courrier. He also earned the endorsement from the Alliance for Good Government, the National Rifle Association, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s FuturePAC and several other industry and political groups.

Billy Nungesser, the Plaquemines Parish President, Dardenne’s opponent sent out an email stating that “Jay Dardenne Finally Admits He Voted To Raise Taxes”. The campaign said, in part, “After months of trying to claim he is a fiscal conservative, Jay Dardenne publicly admitted this morning that he did vote to raise taxes as a member of the Louisiana Legislature. The admission came during a live appearance this morning on the Denny Schaffer show on WRNO in New Orleans. A caller asked Dardenne if he had voted to raise taxes. Dardenne tried to be evasive, but the caller and Schaffer persisted, asking him to answer the question. Dardenne finally responded, "I have voted to raise taxes. I was in the legislature 15 years and the Stelly Plan raised income taxes."

"It has taken several months for Dardenne to finally come clean, but the truth is finally out. Jay Dardenne is not a fiscal conservative. He has raised taxes, including serving as the floor leader for the Stelly bill," said Billy Nungesser, Dardenne's opponent in Saturday's election”.….. To hear the interview click here. The tax question can be heard at the 11:07 mark.”

In the broadcast, Dardenne responded to the caller and said he voted to allow the people to decide on the Stelly plan and voted two dozen times in 15 years being in the legislature against raising taxes, he voted to renew some taxes and that he voted to allow the people to decide to raise the income tax and to cut permanently, the sales taxes.

Two big endorsements for Nungesser are entertainer Sammy Kershaw and Senator David Vitter. Both are planning to campaign for Nungesser at locations throughout the state later this week.